When Times Change
by i-nv-u50
Summary: DM/HP slash. CH4 UP!! When Draco takes a quick work trip into the past, he finds a Harry he has never known. When he comes back to his own time, he expected to find the same Harry he has always known. But had the past changed the future?
1. Chapter 1

Title: 

Author: I_nv_u50

Pairings: Eventual DracoXHarry. But only in the last 10 or so chapters (rough idea..)

Disclaimer: The world, the characters, they all belong to whoever owns them. At this point, I'm sure it's J.K. Rowling, but then it could be whoever's doing the movies O.o;

Chapter Rating: PG13 for poor little beaten Harry T.T

Author's Notes: It all started on a dark and stormy night …

_Harry: Cut the crap._

_Draco: Just get on with it, woman._

_(cowers and hides)_ NOT! Bleh. Anyway, it all started when my Lily muse wanted a baby Harry, because Harry is an adult in mansion. Well, almost. So anyway, I gave her one. Then paid no attention to it because these two idiots _(kicks Draco&Harry)_ tease me with chapters for In the Interests Of and then don't give them to me.

_Draco: And it's what? Our fault?_

_Harry: We refuse to work! More pay! More holidays! More freedom!!_

_I_nv_u50: You don't make a good Hermione. _

So then, I was reading Reliving Childhood (its in my favourite stories if you're interested) and I realized that baby Harry was just so cute!! *-*

_Harry: (sniffs) What, and I'm not?_

_Draco: Course you aren't. You're a midget, you're too stubborn, and your fashion sense is too bizarre to even set your own trend._

_Harry: Hmph. See if that gets you anything tonight._

ANYway, I wanted to do a classic Hogwarts story anyway, and this turned out to be it ^^

It's _eventual_ DracoXHarry slash, because I really find pedophilia disgusting. Is that the right word? Whatever. It's sick. The slash happens when Draco gets back to his own time :D Poor Harry doesn't know what hit him ^^

I'm hoping most chapters will be this kind of length. I'm aiming for roughly 20 chapters in all, probably the longest planned series I've written to date. OiaM and ItIO don't count because I have absolutely no idea how long those are going to be O.o;

Anyway, enough with that, hope you enjoy it, and please review!!

PS: next chapter of In the Interests Of will hopefully be out by Friday ^^

PPS: Elfric is Draco's owl (or should he have a falcon? :D) and Nessos is Blaise's owl (or falcon) I keep seeing slytherins with falcons. The names are from one of the Harry Potter information books I have. If you really want to know which one, I'll tell you next chapter, I'm too lazy to go upstairs and get it now.

Read and Review!! ^^

_~The present and the future are most affected by the one thing time can't erase: the past~_

Draco's first mission, his first ever assignment when he joined that exclusive groups called Deatheaters, was a distinct privilege, one that ensured his ambitioned fame if he succeeded. It was a very important role in the Dark Lord's latest plan.

Failure would inevitably result in death.

Draco was to go back in time, back to when the elusive Harry Potter was a child, too defenseless to even try fighting back. Draco was supposed to bring young the young hero into the future, Draco's own present. It was a perfect plan because, as Voldemort had arrogantly told all involved, if they killed Harry Potter from the past when he wasn't able to fight back, there would be no Harry Potter to fight now.

The one small side factor to this plot was that Draco couldn't kill Harry when he was only five years old, as that was something only cowards would do, and Draco, for all his pride and selfishness, was certainly no coward. He despised them. They were weak, and therefore had no place in the world.

Therefore, young Harry Potter would have to go back to the present of Draco's time with Draco.

Draco, nineteen years old, the youngest member of one of the oldest, most prestigious families in the wizarding world was standing distastefully at the front door of a muggle residence, in a quality but entirely _muggle suit._

He didn't know whether to be ashamed or disgusted. He settled for a mixture of the two, leaning slightly towards the disgusted side because his father had explicitly said not to be ashamed of any work he did for the Dark Lord.

_'Remember, Draco, anything he tells us to do is for the good of the purebloods. And ourselves. Never be ashamed of what he tells you to do, it is for a better world for ourselves, his loyal followers. And we are his loyal followers, are we not?'_

When a middle aged muggle, bordering on looking old, although Draco knew him to still be in his twenties, opened the door and glared at Draco from small, piggy eyes, Draco gave up on ashamed and was fully disgusted.

"Yes?" the man huffed, pulling the door open a little further upon seeing the excellent quality suit.

"Good evening sir." Draco hid his blanch at the words, keeping his voice cool, quiet and blunt. "My father, Mr Malfoy, the great doctor, you know? He has opened a new medical clinic down the road, and we are giving out free first medical inspections. Can we offer you some, Mr…?"

The man's eyes gleamed greedily and he cleared his throat in what he obviously thought was a business manner but what came off sounding like a very wet coughing fit. "Yes, yes, come in, come in. I am Vernon Dursley." He held out a pudgy hand.

Draco ignored it, inclining his head in acknowledgement instead and stepped in, careful not to touch anything. One could never tell where these filthy muggle possessions had been.

Vernon invited Draco to sit down on a couch in an impeccable looking room. It was obviously the good living room. Draco's family had about ten.

"First off, I would like to interview everyone staying in this house." Draco started, leaning back against the uncomfortably hard cushions slowly.

"Why?" blustered Vernon, obviously put off by the question.

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Is there a problem? It's a requirement for the first free check up, and enables you to receive discounts for the first full year."

Draco mentally thanked his expressionless mask that he had perfected over the years. Dursley would never assume that Draco was making this up off the top of his head. Draco hid a smirk. That was why he had been put into Slytherin. But then again, Dursley probably wouldn't have expected anything even had Draco been rolling around in fits of laughter at the terrific game he was playing.

"_All the people living in this house?" Vernon seemed to deflate momentarily._

"Yes. Starting with the youngest first, if you please. Personal preference."

"Oh, very well." Vernon grumbled, vastly and obviously reluctant.

Draco stared at Vernon, making his eyes go hard and cold, the business look his father had taught him for just such an occasion. It didn't allow room for refusals. "I would like to start right away. Is the youngest member of your family available?"

Vernon cleared his throat again, although this time it was more nervous than a business gesture. "He's not part of – ah, yes, of course. I'll bring him right in."

Vernon bumbled to the entrance of the room but paused, looking back at Draco when he spoke softly.

"Dursley, I will see him in here and alone please."

"Yes… yes, of course…" Vernon mumbled, scuttling out of the room in a hurry.

Draco distinctly heard a lock click, but before he could hear more, a tall, unnaturally thin blonde stepped into the doorway. "Sir, would you like something to drink? Eat maybe?"

The lady was clearly fishing for information.

Draco replied with ingrained politeness, taught through all his childhood years. "No, thank you. Screw off." 

He smiled sweetly at her when she gasped in outrage, confident of his ability and status to silence her if she made too much of a deal out of it. He smiled harder. "Would you like me to repeat myself? Screw off, I said."

The lady nodded sharply, offended beyond words for the moment and disappeared as Vernon came through the doorway, herding a young boy of about five years old.

Draco had to blink back his quick surprise. Harry was thin, and small for his age, obviously malnourished, with huge green eyes behind already broken glasses that were almost dangling off of his nose because they were too big as well. Thick, messy black hair fell haphazardly over his eyes.

Draco could vaguely remember from his Hogwarts days that Harry hadn't had a good home life, but he had put it off to rumors because Harry always seemed so happy. But the dark bruises showing up on the pale skin had him thrown for a few seconds, and he was hard pressed to recover quickly.

"This is… er… what's your name, sir?"

"Draco." Draco answered shortly, keeping his eyes on the young boy's face and taking note of the scared and suspicious expression he saw there.

"Boy, this is Mr Draco Malfoy. You will be polite. Any trouble boy, any trouble at all and you will be punished."

Harry shivered slightly and lowered his eyes.

Draco held back a scowl. "You may leave, Dursley. Come here, boy."

Vernon gladly left to go complain to his wife and Harry stepped hesitantly closer.

"What's your name?" Draco tried to remember that he wasn't supposed to already know.

"Harry." The child's voice was high and thin, indicating a lot of stress.

"Come here Harry. Come sit." Draco unwillingly patted the seat next to him, trying to make it seem like a natural gesture.

It must have worked because Harry came forward slowly, tentatively sliding onto the couch.

Draco pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket, restraining from scorning the muggle invention. To his mind, quills were so much better. He clicked open his briefcase and pulled out a clipboard of forms to fill out.

"Right Harry. Can you tell me what your full name is?"

"Harry Evan Potter…" the voice was hesitant, clearly thinking carefully as he answered.

Draco wrote it in. "Age?"

Harry took a second to count it out on his fingers. "Five."

Draco filled out the boxes. "Date of birth?"

Harry looked worried. "Don't know! I'm sorry!"

Draco looked down at him, startled. Harry's eyes were actually tearing up.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. We'll just come back to it later, all right? What's your uncle's name?"

"Uncle Vernon." The resentment was there, hidden and barely realized by Harry.

Draco sighed loudly and clicked the pen off.

Vernon and his wife appeared from where they had probably been eavesdropping in the kitchen.

Draco stood up. "I'll need to take him back to my office for some specific tests. I can bring him back later this afternoon if you would like."

They looked nothing short of thrilled to have Harry away from them for an entire day. 

"Yes, yes, of course its all right!" Vernon laughed too jovially, making the total sound annoying and fake, obviously trying too hard.

Draco nodded and, hiding his reluctance, held out a hand to Harry for him to take.

Harry stared at it distrustfully for a second, then up at Draco before standing up and scampering to the door.

Draco gritted his teeth, an irritating and almost hurtful memory of the scene from his first year at Hogwarts quickly reminding him just what child he was dealing with.

Except for a minor difference that almost escaped his notice. There had been fear in those childishly wide green eyes instead of contempt.

He shook off the vague feeling of déjà vu and followed Harry out, nodding coolly to the Dursley's who couldn't seem to show them out fast enough.

He almost walked straight into Harry, who barely came up to his thighs, and Harry squeaked with alarm, looking up at him. There was fear and mild anger warring in the youthful depths of his eyes, regarding Draco intently before grabbing hold of Draco's hand, which had been hanging by his side.

Then Harry raised his head defiantly, staring with all the ferocity of a cornered rabbit at a pudgy boy who was staring at Draco in bewilderment.

Harry's hand was trembling in Draco's, and he made a split decision, leaning down to swing Harry up into his arms before anyone could say anything.

Harry clutched at Draco's neck in astonishment and Draco had to forcibly resist dropping Harry.

He needed Harry to trust him.

Draco opened the passenger door of the rented car with a little difficulty, cursing the fact that he couldn't just apparate with the Dursleys watching him through the curtains.

Then again, they probably knew magic existed, Harry's parents being who they had been. And the foolish ministry officials wouldn't be able to track Draco because he was technically, in this age, a little under six years old, and his personal magical signature would only belong to himself. Since the ministry had no idea there were time traveling wizards, they would assume a mistake had been made, for how could a six-year-old apparate?

Draco grinned at the window, blatantly winking at the hidden Dursleys and, hitching Harry more securely onto his hip, apparated away.

He almost lost Harry with the passing through air, but they arrived before he and Harry could get totally separated, and they both arrived reasonably safe, and none the worse for wear. Thankfully.

Harry gazed around with wide-eyed wonder. "Where we?"

Draco too a quick look around. "It appears we are in London."

"Oh." Harry accepted this with a curious amount of trust, and he laid his head down on Draco's shoulder wearily. "We going back?"

"No."

"Ok. Where we going?"

Draco sighed and hitched Harry higher, contemplating suitable places.

Vincent Crabbe had mentioned a small hotel, but it really wasn't the place Draco would want any kid subjected to. He really didn't know why he bothered with Vince and Greg any more. They were merely underdogs. 

Blaise Zambini though, had recommended another hotel, one that, if Draco remembered correctly, was actually quite near the spot they were currently standing. They were a five star hotel, and didn't ask questions so long as the guests could and did pay the high rates.

Draco kind of wanted to go to Knockturn Alley, but taking Harry there so soon after this Voldemort's 'untimely demise' was having a deathwish for both of them. Even if Draco, with his quick tongue, could convince the other people in there that this wasn't Harry Potter, but a boy who looked extraordinarily like him, aurors were watching that Alley very carefully indeed.

Draco poked his nose with a shy forefinger. "Draco? Where we going?"

Draco had to fight for the tolerant smile that graced his features, but it worked because Harry smiled back sleepily.

"Are you tired, Harry?"

"Ya…"

"Where would you like to stay?"

Harry considered this for a minute, his face screwed up in an adorable pout of thought.

His face lit up. "With you!"  
Draco was surprised and quite inexplicitly touched. "You will. I promise. Let's go, shall we?"

Harry's head moved in a sleepy nod against Draco's neck and Draco walked quickly down the street, stopping outside every likely looking resting place.

By the time he found the hotel Blaise had mentioned, Harry was fast asleep on his shoulder, breathing quietly, his glasses skew.

Draco lifted him up more carefully and stepped through the revolving door, walking quickly to the receptionist desk.

"Good evening sir, how may we help you?"

Draco smiled silkily. "I'd like a master suite please."

"Will you be requiring an extra bed, sir?"  
"Excuse me?"

She nodded towards Harry's sleeping figure. "For the child, sir."

"Oh. Yes." Draco gave a small, polite chuckle. "Yes please. And I would like to stay for one night."

"Very good sir." The receptionist picked up a phone and mumbled a few curt orders into it. "They'll have the bed in by the time you settle in, sir. Will you be needing a wake up call?"  
"No thank you."

"Yes sir. It is &280 for the night. Any room service and movies you require will be added to your bill."

Draco nodded in acceptance to the high price, and Harry mumbled something into his shoulder.

The receptionist smiled at them, a genuine smile. "The bed should be in already sir. Will that be all?"

"I'm expecting a friend, by name of Blaise Zambini. Send him straight up when he comes, would you?"

"Of course sir. If you would like to sign here…"

Draco signed hurriedly, a made up and perfected signature that couldn't be read by the majority. It was to ensure secrecy in the Dark Lord's plans and the way they were carried out.

"Your room number is 1206. Please enjoy your stay." She gave Draco a small envelope with two card keys, and they exchanged civil smiles before Draco headed for the elevator.

He was the only one with a small child in the elevator. It had been a bad idea to bring Harry anywhere where people would jump to conclusions, he knew that now. 

They didn't approve. They thought that Draco, with his youthful face, looked too young to be a father, that Harry should have been left with his mother, given most men's attitudes to their children.

Draco had never realised how biased they had been in the eighties. In the nineties, things weren't so different, but at least the father didn't get all of the blame.

Years of perfecting his pride and arrogance finally paid off and came to his rescue before his quick temper could send all the stupid muggles into oblivion. Draco sighed silently, ignoring all the quiet whispers around him. Control had been taught and learned well.

Draco found their room with no difficulty, as there was several working staff quickly walking out of it. Draco wondered with disinterest if he had paid enough.

He waited until the muggle workers were out of sight before entering the room himself.

It was a nice room, big, with a huge king sized bed by the wall in front of the TV, and a smaller, single bed under the window. It was decorated in reds and golds and whites; all, Draco thought with a grimace, blatant opposites of the colours connected to Slytherin: green, silver and black.

He refused to acknowledge that they were Gryffindor colours.

Harry mumbled something again, and Draco almost jumped, having forgotten that the young hero was relaxing in his arms, a thin, warm weight. He laid Harry carefully on the bed, before turning to the phone by his own bedside.

Draco approached it loathingly, but dialed the number for room service, indicated by a laminated card on the bedside table, with all the usual numbers needed.

He ordered supper, almost forgetting to ask for an extra children's portion until the last minute.

Then he dialed the receptionist and asked her how to phone out of the hotel.

She told him in a cheery voice, and within minutes he had been connected to Blaise Zambini's hotel, in another section of London.

Blaise Zambini had been sent along as well, having been deemed more worthy than Crabbe, Goyle or Nott, and he was infinitely less clumsy than the other three.

It was he who kept the potion that would enable the three to get back to Draco's time.

"Blaise?"

"Draco, something's happened. It-"

"Blaise, why haven't you left yet?"

"I haven't had time to, Draco, the potion, it-"  
"Have you still got Elfric?"

"Yes, but Draco-"

"Good. Send him over, will you? I'd like a change of clothes for tomorrow."

"Yes, I will, but-"

"Good. Try and send him off now, will you? I want to look good for the Dark Lord tomorrow. You should get something elegant to wear as well."

"Draco! For crying out loud, listen to me! We wont be leaving tomorrow! Nessos accidentally frightened one of the housekeepers here and she knocked the vial off the desk! It burnt a hole through the floor! It's ruined! It'll take me at least a week to get all the ingredients again so you can make it!"


	2. Chapter 2

Title: When Times Change

Author: I_nv_u50

Pairings: Eventual DracoXHarry. But only in the last 10 or so chapters (rough idea..)

Disclaimer: The world, the characters, they all belong to whoever owns them. At this point, I'm sure it's J.K. Rowling, but then it could be whoever's doing the movies O.o;

Chapter Rating: PG13 for Draco's quick temper. :D

Author's Notes: Once again, the next chapter could be a little while in coming, because I'm suffering writer's block and I really don't like the chapter three I've already written. Its just too unbelievable as of now. Anyway, I will be continuing this story no matter how long it takes me, so don't worry about that. That's pretty much it. Oh. I decided to make Nessos and Elfric falcons after all. How can you not like a falcon? I mean owls are cool and all, but I really want a falcon :D 

… Anyway, Draco gets a bit weird in this one, so I apologise if he's a little too OOC O.o;

Thanks for reviewing the last chapter! I hope you like this one as much :D

Cheers, enjoy, and review!! ^^

_~The future you shall know when it has come; before then, forget it.~_

"What?" Draco's voice was cool over the phone; ice cold and chilling.

Blaise scrambled to reassure Draco, but Draco noticed that he made no effort to correct or even take back the bad news, which just had to be a horrible prank. 

Blaise, an amateur prankster with a reputation amongst the Death Eaters, didn't seem to be joking this time.

He scowled into the phone. "Zambini, get your ass here right now!"

"Draco, you know I cant apparate now!" Blaise had had the privilege of apparating banned from him by Lucius Malfoy, after a disastrous accident.

"So walk! However the hell you do it, just get over here!"

There was a soft knock on the door, and Draco cursed softly. "Remember, Zambini, room 1206."

Draco slammed the phone down without waiting for Blaise's reply and stormed over to the door, wrenching it open before the tentative knock could sound again.

"What?" he snapped.

A bellboy cowered behind the dinner cart he was pushing. It was laden with fruits and vegetables that Draco couldn't remember ordering, so they must be free.

Draco stepped aside and impatiently waved the boy in.

Once the cart was in the proper and polite place, the bellboy scuttled out the door backwards, bowing slightly as he went, and he pulled the door shut after him.

Draco contemplated the food.

Spaghetti. Why the devil had he ordered spaghetti? He didn't even like spaghetti.

Draco scowled, and a soft whimpering noise drew his attention to Harry, who was twisted in the bed sheets and flailing around uselessly, apparently trying to whack whatever was scaring him on the head with his outstretched fingers.

Draco went to watch him, curious about the content of Potter's nightmares.

His own was usually a nameless black fear, one that he couldn't escape, and would never be able to. Pure nonsense when he was awake, of course, but when you were asleep, you didn't know any logic.

Like his other nightmare, a more confusing, less frequent one that was about a field full of cows.

But as cows had never been a huge, particular fear of his, he couldn't understand why he awoke so afraid, drenched in sweat, cold and clammy, and breathing heavily.

These peculiar dreams had started just after he had been recruited as a Death Eater though, on his 17th birthday, so he supposed there was a connection.

He had never asked the other Death eaters if the also had weird nightmares.

You didn't talk about that sort of stuff when you met with each other.

It was always business.

Draco slowly laid a hand on Harry's small shoulder, preparing to shake Harry awake, but Harry quieted down before he could even start.

"Harry? Harry." He shook the shoulder anyway, and Harry whimpered softly, sleepily opening wide green eyes that stared at nothing in particular. Draco carefully picked up the small glasses, resisting the urge to hex them and slowly slid them onto Harry's face.

Harry closed his eyes trustingly when he did this, and Draco felt a sickening feeling shudder through him.

"Supper's here. You like spaghetti?" Draco spoke shortly, trying not to sound too angry.

Harry stared at the food in wonder, gazing in awe at the pasta that was heaped under piles of meat. "Is that… is that mine?"

The incredulous disbelief in the small voice and the growing hope in the bright green eyes made Draco's chest tighten for a second.

"Yes." He ignored the sensation. "Can you feed yourself?"

Draco almost cringed at the idea of feeding Harry, but a strange sensation that was almost pride rose up in him when the five year old sniffed defiantly.

"Of course I can." He replied superiorly, and, with a little difficulty, lifted his plate from the cart that was almost bigger than he was.

Draco caught the plate just in time. "Watch it!" he hissed, and Harry pouted at him, doing a poor job of hiding the fact that his bottom lip was trembling slightly.

"Just… just go sit down." Draco snapped, and picked up the phone again.

"Good evening. How may I help you?"

"I was just wondering if my friend had arrived yet."

"No sir, no one's arrived for you yet."

"All right. Remember, his name is Blaise Zambini."

"Yes sir. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Draco hung up and turned to find Harry, his lips still disconcertingly pouting, with his eyes still fixed on Draco curiously. "Who's that?"

"Who's who?" Draco repeated, calmly picking up his own plate, fully intending to ignore the child while he thought his own problem through.

Thankfully, the potion ingredients didn't require sitting out under the full moon for a month or anything. Draco didn't think he'd be able to handle that long. It was actually the opposite. When all the ingredients were together and ready, you only had one hour to complete the stirring and the incantations and take it before the potion become void and unusable. When it was void and unusable, you stood a good chance of ending up a pile of melted flesh.

"Blays Zabimi."

Draco blinked, startled out of his thinking by the high little voice. "What?"

"Who's Blays Zabimi?"

Draco scowled, annoyed at the interruption. A friend. Eat up, he'll be here soon."

Harry nodded happily and continued to feed himself, a process that ended with him having most of the food on the outside rather than in him.

Draco soon got disgusted enough to set aside his own meal and feed Harry, who was now stained with the sauce enough to look like he was bleeding out of multiple places on his face.

Draco shuddered and looked away, almost offended at the sight of Harry Potter opening his mouth willingly for the fork Draco reluctantly held out. A Harry Potter who had his face splattered with the sauce, with bits of spaghetti and meat squashed into the front of Harry's clothes.

When Draco accidentally misjudged the amount of food Harry could take, and the half chewed spaghetti noodles started oozing out of Harry's mouth, Draco leapt away, disgusted. "That's revolting! Stop that!"

Harry started giggling, which caused more food to start dribbling out of his mouth and drip slowly down his chin.

"Stop that! You're disgusting!" Draco's loud voice clearly made known what he felt, and Harry picked up on the tone rather than the words, which he would have giggled harder at.

He closed his mouth slowly and sniffed loudly, his eyes tearing up.

Draco watched in horror as, in almost slow motion, Harry's face crumpled up and he burst into tears.

Draco looked around instinctively for help, really not wanting to be the one to calm Harry down.

The telephone rang.

Draco thanked the Powers that May Be and looked at the telephone in relief, then, ignoring the bawling child picked it up.

"Yes?"

"Sir? Your friend just arrived. I've had him sent up. He's on his way now."

"Thank you!"

Draco put the phone down carefully, and turned around.

Harry had come up behind him, arms outstretched as he wailed, eyes almost squeezed shut with snot and food covering the lower half of his face as he screamed.

Draco gave the door a desperate look, but it offered no solutions, so he sighed and picked Harry up reluctantly, trying to keep the child at arms length.

Harry's sobs quieted to sniffs and whimpers as he clung to Draco's neck, so obviously seeking comfort that Draco felt a small warmth creep up, despite the fact that there was now snot and drool covering his clothes.

"It's okay Harry, I'm sorry. It's okay, sh…" The words fell off of Draco's lips before he knew what he was saying, and he immediately felt more stupid, but it succeeded because Harry's noises lowered until they were just sniffs.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hate me…" Harry was whispering into Draco's neck, the childish voice thick with tears and fears, and Draco shuddered with something he couldn't explain or understand.

There was a knock on the door.

Harry refused to be put down when Draco tried, so Draco went to open the door with Harry clinging onto his neck, happily sucking his thumb.

Blaise stared when he opened the door. "That's him?"

Draco scowled and shifted Harry to his other hip. "Yea. Did you bring Elfric?"

"Yep. He'll be at your window in a minute. That's really him?"

"Yes! Stop staring already! Honestly, Blaise, have you never seen a five year old before?"

Blaise grinned and stepped past him into the room. Harry held on tighter, his eyes filled with shy nervousness, and a little fear.

"I've seen lots, but never that specific one."

Draco shut the door. "I'll give you that much. What happened?"

Blaise gave Draco a look, and pulled out his wand, transfiguring the cutlery into some moving toy soldiers that attacked each other.

Harry crooned in sudden delight, and wriggled. Draco put him down gladly.

"Draco! Look! They moving!"

"Sure are." Blaise kneeled down beside Harry, and Draco gaped at the suddenly nice behaviour of his friend.

"Who you?" Harry asked bluntly.

"I'm Draco's friend. You sit still and play for a while while I talk to Draco, okay?"

"Okay!" Harry grinned happily, and started setting up the protesting soldiers in what was probably supposed to be an orderly military unit but what ended up as a small chaotic mess.

Draco blinked at Blaise. "I didn't know you were good with children. You have to teach me one day."

Blaise shrugged, but before he could reply, there was a sharp, insistent tapping at the window.

Harry looked up from his game and gave a comical but all too real gasp of alarm. "Draco! It's uncle Vernon!"

"Hush Harry, you idiot. It's Elfric and Nessos." Draco calmly walked to the window and opened it.

The two falcons soared in, and Elfric dropped a big, wrapped parcel on Draco's bed.

Harry squealed with rapture and Draco groaned, shaking his head in despair.

To his surprise though, both Elfric and Nessos entertained Harry well, both being quite tolerant of the boy.

Draco was uncommonly grateful. "Blaise, about the potion. What exactly happened?"

Blaise sat down on Harry's bed. "Well, I had gone out to do some things, and when I cam back, there was a whole lot of mudbloods gathered around this hole in the floor. They wanted to know what I had had in there, and I told them I was visiting my uncle, the scientist."

Draco nodded, thinking. "And did you find out what happened?"

"The maid came in when I wasn't there, to clean up and stuff, you know? Apparently she didn't see Nessos until he ruffled his feathers at her. She got such a fright, she knocked the vial onto the floor." Blaise sighed and put his head in his hands. "Draco, what are we going to do?"

"We can't tell M'Lord because there's no way to get to him…"

"No…"

"I guess all we can do is get the ingredients as fast as possible."

"Yea."

Draco watched Blaise carefully. "I'll make the potion."

Blaise grinned up at him. "Damn straight. You're one of the best potion makers we have on our side."

"As opposed to Snape?"

"Yea."

"So I'll make the potion-"

"I'll get the ingredients together."

Draco blinked. "Okay…"

A high-pitched giggling brought his attention back to the youngest in the room.

"You can keep Harry." He told Blaise.

Blaise shook his head and laughed. "I don't think so, Draco."

"Why not?" Draco almost felt like stamping his foot. He didn't want the kid.

Blaise grinned at him. "Well, I'm going to be traveling around all week, to try and get the right things we need."

"So?"

"So it's not good for children to be moved around often."

Draco glared at him. "That's when they have a home that they've lived in for years!"

Blaise shrugged. "Lets let him decide. Harry?"

Harry looked up from where he was offering a finger to Elfric for him to nibble.

"Yesh?"

Blaise continued, judging from the glare that Draco wasn't about to. "Would you like to stay with Draco or with me?"

Harry shot to his feet, his eyes already tearing up. He ran to Draco and hugged his legs tightly. "You wont leave me! You promised! You promised! Don't leave me! Please? I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

Draco stared down in shock at the pleading little face that was a staring up at him. Even after the temper tantrum earlier Harry chose him?

Blaise leaned closer, smirking. "See? He wants you. He chooses you."

Blaise stood up and held out an arm that Nessos reluctantly flew to.

Draco tried to glare at Harry, but he couldn't do it, not when the face was buried in his pants leg and crying his heart out.

"Owl me if you need me, Draco. See you later, Harry."

Harry lifted his face from the material, sniffling heavily as he blinked up at Blaise.

Then he twisted his face to stare up at Draco. "Am I staying with you, Draco?"

"Yes." Draco muttered, not liking the sympathetic wave of protectiveness that swept through him.

Harry suddenly grinned happily and waved at Blaise. "Bye! Come back soon! Bye bye birdy!"

Nessos screeched back, surprising both Blaise and Draco, but Harry gave one sharp nod and returned his face to Draco's leg.

Draco reached out and caught hold of Blaise's sleeve. "Wait. I don't know anything about little kids. I don't know how to take care of him."

Blaise rolled his eyes and patted Draco's hand patronizingly. "Well, first, put him to bed. When he wakes you up at some unholy hour in the morning, don't get upset or angry with him. Make him eat, and take a bath, then go out and get some clothes. Then ask him what he wants to do. Clear? Got it? Or do you want a list?"

"Shut up." Draco grumbled, and he dropped the sleeve.

Blaise grinned. "Keep in touch. Night Harry. Night, Draco."

Then he was gone.

After a short argument that ended up with Harry in tears, but finally in bed, Draco allowed himself to be hugged goodnight, before he fell into bed himself.

He had only just managed to remember to change into his pajamas, and he couldn't help hoping that the next night's argument would be quicker.

"Draco?" The voice was quiet and hesitant, and Draco groaned softly before he answered.

"Yes Harry?"

"Sometimes the monsters come when I sleep. Can I come sleep with you if they do?"

Draco fought down the initial answer. "All right Harry. Go to sleep now."

"Okay… Goodnight Draco."

"Goodnight Harry."

A few minutes passed. 

"Draco?"

Draco sighed. "Yes Harry?"

"I'm thirsty."

Draco dragged himself out of bed, switched the lights on, and turned the tap until the small glass was full of cold water.

He passed it to Harry. "Be careful now."

Harry drank it all, quickly, and only spilled a little. Then he smiled up guilessly at Draco. "Thank you!"

Draco nodded acknowledgement, and crawled back into bed, snuffing the light.

After a few minutes, the small voice came again, thick with sleep and satisfaction. "I didn't spill any, did I Draco."

Draco reminded himself that the child was only five. "No, you didn't Harry. Go to sleep."

"Goodnight Draco."

"Goodnight Harry."

Then, one last time, the hesitant voice cut through the air. 

"Draco?"

"What is it NOW, Harry?"

There was the sound of yawning. "I love you."

Draco didn't sleep very well that night.

Extra AN:  Harry can talk so well because Dudley had problems, and Harry overheard Dudley's lessons. Petunia and Vernon didn't like this .


	3. Chapter 3

Title: When Times Change

Author: I_nv_u50

Pairings: Eventual DracoXHarry. But only in the last 10 or so chapters (rough idea..)

Disclaimer: _All I want for Christmas…_

Chapter Rating: PG13, for random stuff…

Author's Notes: Whoohoo! Another chapter!

_Draco: It's about time, woman._

_Harry: (laughs)_

_Draco: What?_

_Harry: Nothing. Nothing in the world… (eyes tear up with suppressed laughter)_

We think he might be psychologically disturbed, but then again, who in my head isn't? Anyway, chapter three, Harry and Draco go shopping. It seemed a bit shorter than the last one while I was writing it, but maybe it got longer in the upload O.o; Who knows. Oh well. 

Also, I _will_ be continuing this story, although it might take some time, so don't worry about that. If you want to be emailed for updates, leave your email addy in your review, or somewhere where I can find it, and you will be ^^ …

Anyway, please enjoy, and review!!

Merry Christmas!! ^^

_~You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.~_

Draco was rudely woken up the next morning by the peculiar heaving of his mattress or bed, the unbalanced weight spread unevenly as Harry bounced up and down on the blankets next to him.

Draco grunted and rolled over, trying to return back to that peaceful land of dreamless sleep state that he had been enjoying, but he was stopped halfway over by Harry, disgruntled at the lack of attention, sprawled across the blonde's back and started to tickle viciously.

Vicious was the word, because Harry was wearing an all too devious grin, and the giggles that escaped his open mouth, only to be stifled when Harry purposely bit his lip and tickled more. Draco, not usually ticklish enough to be even slightly affected by the rough but light movement of fingers against his body, suddenly found himself fighting off fits of laughter that threatened to be spurred to greater heights by the high pitched giggling coming from where Harry's face was pressed into the coverlets at his side.

"Harry… Harry, stop it!" Draco finally got out breathlessly, trying not to appear too influenced by the laughter that still threatened to bubble up from somewhere loathed and unknown inside of him.

Harry gave in a few seconds later, sitting up to stare down at Draco with bright green eyes and tousled hair.

"What we going to do today, Draco?"

Draco, distantly remembering the vague advice Blaise had given him before cowardly fleeing, sat up a little himself, and leaned back on his elbows, studying the young boy. "What would you like to do today?"

No wait, that was wrong.

Harry hummed and hawed with all the authority the five year old could muster, and Draco allowed him to for a few minutes.

Eventually though, impatience won over, and Draco shook his head. "Never mind. We have to buy you some clothes. So we're doing that first. Then we can do whatever you want later."

"Ok!" Harry chirped, perfectly agreeable, maybe a little bit too agreeable, but Draco didn't suspect a thing.

"Right now, I'm going to order breakfast and then shower. You will stay in here and not move from this room, is that clear?"

"Ok!"

"Elfric?"

A soft, almost whistling noise answered Draco, a noise that seemed to originate from Harry as well. Draco blinked at Harry, then rolled out of bed and scratched the back of the majestic bird's head. "Elfric? Keep an eye on him for me while I shower, all right?"

Elfric made another soft noise, this one rather noncommittal, and Draco, accepting this as an affirmative answer, paused at the entrance to the bathroom, picking his wand up from where it lay harmlessly on a counter by the door. 

He muttered a few words, and the soldiers, who were lined up in ranks and apparently getting inspected, turned immediately into miniature quidditch players, with the bed that Harry still sat on transfiguring into a small quidditch pitch.

Harry 'oohed' enthusiastically, and scrambled off the bed to stand by its side, watching with interest and delight as the mini players started committing fouls on each other, and Draco turned to go have his shower.

Once done, he contemplated his new problem. He didn't have a spare change of clothes for Harry, as they had left the Dursley's far too quickly to even attempt and snatch something for the child to wear, and Harry's clothes from yesterday were filthy. He couldn't let the kid walk around in such a bad state, as he would automatically get the blame, because how could such a young child look after himself?

Perhaps there was a good cleaning spell he could use temporarily, as Draco was determined to actually go through with his plan and buy Harry some new clothes. 

After all, Draco didn't have a change of clothes either, having only been expecting to stay for a day at most, a few hours at least. Just because he felt like it, Draco cursed the maid for being so stupid as to knock the vial over like that.

Pity though, because Draco didn't like wearing suits. They were stiff, and prohibited easy wand use.

He walked through to the main room and observed his clothes thoughtfully, effectively ignoring Harry who was still watching the small game.

The cleaning spell would be all right for the moment, Draco decided, but he'd have to buy some new clothes as well.

Unfortunately, the likelihood that the clothes would be muggle made and bought was high, but there was really nothing he could do about that. Sometimes you just had to take what you could get, and he could have been reduced to rags instead.

Harry was sitting on the floor when he finally registered the other's presence, the green eyes almost too dark and blinking up at Draco.

His direct and unashamed stare was a little disconcerting, and more than a little irritating, Draco discovered, not really surprised by the fact.

"What?" Draco snapped at him eventually, pulling on the now clean shirt and starting to do up the buttons. He hated buttons. Blasted things.

Harry blinked, seeming almost astonished that Draco had spoken, having probably forgotten that Draco was there at all, and he transferred his gaze back to the ongoing game silently with all the innocence of a child angel.

Draco scowled at the picture, and then, remembering he had forgotten to order breakfast because he had forgotten that muggle breakfasts didn't appear magically when a soft word was spoken within house elf hearing range. He promptly decided they would eat out, conveniently forgetting Harry's last meal, and overlooking the fact that another scene like it could and probably would be repeated.

"Harry, go wait for me in the bathroom."

"We leaving?"

"Soon. Go!" 

Harry gave a sharp nod that might have dislocated his neck had he been someone else, and darted into the bathroom obediently.

Draco decided he liked obedient Harry, and distastefully regarded Harry's discarded shirt that was lying crumpled on the floor.

He was almost too scared to touch it, which was absurd, considering all the other, more serious things he had to worry about at the moment.

For example, how angry Lord Voldemort was going to be when they were late.

There was also, of course, the disgusting feelings of sympathy and, most horrifying of all, almost affection for the brat, an affection that Draco was fighting whole heartedly. This in itself was almost more terrifying than Voldemort, because Draco, although he was very good at hiding and sometimes ignoring his true feelings, was very bad at destroying them completely. And for the first time in almost forever, Draco wasn't completely sure he could manage something like that.

After a long scene that could have been brief if Harry had only listened, Draco decided he had underrated house elves his entire life. More specifically, he had underrated the house elves that had raised him, because if he had been anything like Harry, stubborn and obstinate and arguing and bold, the house elves probably deserved a pay raise. 

He also, on far more severe terms, promised himself he'd never have children.

They got on reasonably well together after they left the hotel, and the day, instead of progressing slowly like Draco had half feared it might, passed a little too quickly for the young death eater.

Another problem for the older boy was that, as the day went on, he was starting to feel awfully, dreadfully, terribly sympathetic towards the young child hero, even more so than he might have denied feeling before.

He regarded this offensive feeling with something akin to horror, and doubled his effort to fighting it, all the while trying to work out where it was coming from so he could destroy it and carry on with his preferable life of Not Feeling For Harry Potter.

Not feeling anything at all.

It was, Draco supposed, Harry's fervent disbelief that he wasn't going to get anything he liked or wanted, or get to do anything he would like to.

More than that, it was Harry's tentative hopefulness that invariably started when Draco reluctantly displayed interest, a hopefulness that usually turned into a full-blown delight that was acted upon with glee when Harry found out that:

Yes, Draco usually meant it when he said Harry could do or have something, a miracle Draco allowed just because it would keep Harry quiet, and something inside of him was delighted when Harry expressed delight over a new thing. And really, Harry, probably from living with the Dursley's his whole life, was really quiet about the things he liked. Draco realized he was trying to rationally explain his sudden niceness, and stopped immediately. It simply wouldn't do.

A fine example of the pitiful Harry was at the ice cream shop.

Draco had felt like an ice cream simply because he didn't believe that muggle food was so bad. Besides, wizards had ice cream as well, but since Lucius had never thought ice cream worthy of being eaten by a Malfoy, the only time the Malfoy heir had been able to get some was when his father had been away, for business or whatever, and Draco had had to go to Diagon and Knockturn Alley with naught but a few house elves who were quite powerless to stop him. Draco felt a flare of pity for those abused house elves and scowled at nothing. House elves were nothing but slaves anyway, why should they be treated like more?

The incident in the ice cream shop had ended with Draco dragging a proudly grinning Harry out of the shop before they got too much attention that seemed to be attracted towards Harry's high pitched and excited voice. 

The next place they went to, obviously, was a public bathroom so Draco could hurriedly wipe the sticky mess off of Harry's face, while Harry grinned guilelessly up at him. Draco just stared back firmly, and the grin faltered and faded, Harry's eyes looking away first, a slight expression of confusion and bewilderment swirling in the abnormally green depths.

Then Draco proceeded to drag a whining Harry to the clothes store. That, in itself, was a traumatic adventure.

Harry whining at everything Draco looked at, whether for him or the boy, and eventually everyone was staring at the screaming boy who was being forcefully shoved into a changing room. Draco glared around once he had finally gotten the boy in, and everyone looked away quickly, none of them quite sure what seemed so dangerous in the young man. Perhaps it was the way he argued too quietly with the younger boy, or was immovably firm about which clothes Harry could try on or not.

Draco was determined that if he didn't at least leave the store with a well dressed five year old, then he at least wouldn't leave with an embarrassingly dressed one. Unfortunately, most of the clothes Harry saw and set his heart on were atrocious, vile fragments of cloth that Draco couldn't imagine any child wanting to wear, let alone the parents or guardians.

Eventually they found a small pair of dungarees that were almost tolerable, and Draco shoved Harry into the changing room, glaring around at all the stupid mudbloods that dared to stare at him like he was a freak, when, by all rights, they should have directed their stares to the little monster who was coming out of the changing room, argument forgotten and his clothes on backwards.

Harry looked so absurdly proud hat he had gotten on his clothes properly, even the hard to do up buttons that were on his back, that Draco, despite how annoyed he was at the boy, really couldn't find it within himself to tell Harry that he had gotten it all wrong, that the big pocket was supposed to be on his chest and not his back.

Draco had to remember to look in the other direction whenever Harry proudly told him to look at the new clothes, which Harry had been allowed to wear out of the shop, and Harry, pouting at the unfairness, eventually gave up, looking determinedly into the distance when Draco spoke reluctantly to him.

"We have to go shopping for more clothes, Harry. I also need some." Draco paused, searching for an acknowledgement even when neither of them were looking at each other.

Harry agreed quietly, and Draco was surprised, and not a little suspicious about the quick agreement, but as nothing bad seemed to happen as they walked calmly to an adults clothing store, he left the idea that Harry was up to something behind.

Thankfully, and miraculously, Draco found something he liked almost straight away, a casual pair of jeans and an almost comfortable by Malfoy standards fleece top, and he bought them without second thought, leaving Harry no time to get into mischief.

Harry's clothing trip had last almost half the day because of the arguing, and when they eventually wandered back into the hotel, weary and footsore, it was almost time for Harry to go to bed, an idea that Harry objected to strongly.

Draco suspected it was because Harry was afraid of another nightmare, but since the kid wouldn't admit such a thing, Draco just shrugged and got ready for bed himself, leaving Harry staring at him in astonishment, almost unable to believe that Draco didn't really care.

When Harry gave a long suffering sigh and started to unwillingly strip, Draco hid a grin and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and give Harry some privacy. Harry toddled in just as Draco was finishing and held out his arms to Draco almost imperiously.

Draco blinked down at the child. "What?"

"Up?"

"Why?"

"Can't reach."

Draco grudgingly accepted the logic of the statement, and lifted Harry up onto the counter, holding Harry's pajama waistband to ensure that the younger boy didn't fall as he stretched for the toothpaste.

Looking away in mild disgust as Harry spat, Draco helped Harry down after the boy was finished, and switched off the light as he left the bathroom, smirking slightly at the sudden yelp that filtered through.

"Draco?" 

Draco's smirk faded slightly as he caught the all too real fear in Harry's timid tone. He rolled his eyes at himself. "Come on Harry, follow the light, I'm right here."

There was a quiet pattering of small, bare feet, and Harry appeared at the doorway, pale and scared looking. Draco sighed slightly, and knelt down. Harry wandered towards him uncertainly.

"Are you scared of the dark, Harry?"

"Yes…" It was a quiet, almost ashamed whisper, and Draco nodded in satisfaction, his suspicion having been proved correct.

He stood up and put his hands on Harry's shoulders, directing him carefully to the smaller bed, onto which Harry climbed carefully, stifling a yawn, all fear gone now that he was back in the dim light of the hotel bedroom.

Draco pushed Harry's shoulder's down. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Draco? Where you going?"

"To bed." Draco replied shortly, and crawled into his own bed, before snuffing out the light.

The room was left in darkness, and even though Harry's soft, even breathing soon filled the room, Draco was awake long after, still contemplating his problem.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: When Times Change

Author: I_nv_u50

Pairings: Eventual DracoXHarry. But only in the last 10 or so chapters (rough idea..)

Disclaimer: I'll give them back to their rightful owners when I'm done with them, all cleaned up and untainted. :D

Chapter Rating: PG13 for something in there… O.o;

Author's Notes: Hmm. It's finally out O.o;

_Harry: It's about time._

_Draco: At last woman!_

Strange how they think they can blame me, isn't it :D Anyway, I'm really sorry for the delay, and I hope I'm forgiven. I also hope that this chapter is good enough to be worth the wait, seeing as half of it was rushed. I'm not too happy with it, but I'll rewrite it later, when I have the time… As such, this isn't the best, but hopefully its enough for now

_Draco: See how she's trying to ease her guilt?_

_Harry: It's fairly obvious, isn't it._

Grr. Anyway, that's about it. Hope you had a happy valentine's day, I know they did . So, on with the chapter. Enjoy, and please review! ^^

_~If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.~_

The next morning, Draco woke up normally. Normally in that he didn't have a five-year-old child trying to tickle him to death. He almost suspected something was wrong when he groggily got out of bed, but a quick look towards Harry's bed proved the kid still asleep.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief, and starting setting out his new clothes for him to wear that day. He had no plans about what they were intending to do today, but he suspected that Harry would have plenty of ideas. He made a secret plan to do as little of them as he could.

Draco did not appreciate the warping of his character by a mere child. A deatheater was supposed to be ruthless, and Draco felt anything but merciless when Harry persuaded him to do things he normally wouldn't be caught dead doing.

He sighed at the loss of his normal self and turned the light on in the bathroom, wanting to be out of the shower by the time Harry woke up. Although, he supposed, it was probably best to bathe Harry first, but Harry was still sleeping probably, and Draco had already stripped off. It was too late anyway.

He had just started lathering his hair when the door opened quietly. "Draco?"

Draco sighed impatiently. "What is it Harry?"

"Can I go to the shops again today?"

Draco blinked, then scowled. "Not today Harry, we can try and go again tomorrow." He could almost feel Harry's pout.

"Fine," Harry replied sullenly, and the door closed behind the child.

Draco blinked again and continued washing his hair, still fuming silently at the situation he was in. Voldemort had better be grateful.

When he finally got out of the shower, after rinsing his hair multiple times because it always calmed him down slightly to have water running through his hair, he wrapped a towel carefully around himself and stepped into the main room.

Harry was nowhere to be seen.

Draco didn't feel worried until he had gotten dressed, and brushed his teeth and hair. Harry was still nowhere to be seen, and Draco supposed he could allow himself to start feeling worried. The first thing he did was to send Elfric to search the hotel for the five-year-old. Elfric, although he did it somewhat grudgingly, did go because he seemed to be almost worried about the child. 

Draco shook his head at the change in his falcon and himself and set off in the opposite direction of the falcon, heading for the receptionist desk in hopes that they had seen Harry.

Draco could only hope that Harry hadn't neglected to put on some clothes before he ran away.

When he asked the receptionist though, she just gave him a bland look and stifled a yawn. "Yes sir, some people have called down and asked about a naked child running around the hallways. Is he yours? If he is, we'll have to ask you to keep a better hold on him next time."

Draco gritted his teeth and reminded himself that killing wasn't the only answer. It was merely the best one, but since he couldn't do that here, he would just have to put up with the silent disapproval of a dumb muggle. After all, her disapproval was nowhere near as bad as his father's could get. Thankfully though, his father was proud of him for getting chosen for this important trip, if a little bitter about being passed over.

"All right," Draco spoke slowly, so as not to trigger his continuously rising anger. "I'll keep a better eye on him in future, now could you please tell me where he is?"

The girl cast a disinterested glance at the computer, fiddled a bit, then looked back up at him. "He's currently staying with someone in room 342. Go knock on their door politely, and they'll let you in."

Draco inclined his head in false thankfulness, and headed for the elevator. He had to find Harry before the stupid git could talk about anything. He hoped Elfric was staying as out of sight as he could.

The room was a little difficult to find, hidden somewhere out of the way, right at the end of a back corridor, and Draco wondered at the location. He wondered if he could switch rooms. A room out of the way would be far less noticeable for a deatheater if he just happened to curse his ward.

He knocked on the door casually, still looking around with interest. There was a back staircase here as well, for people who didn't want to take the elevator, or for servants of the hotel, probably. It was dark, and smelled musty in a pleasant sort of way, not at all like the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. 

The door opened under his hand as he prepared to knock again, and then he was staring, utterly stunned, into the face of Severus Snape.

"Severus!" he said, still totally surprised to see the old deatheater in a filthy muggle place like this hotel. "What are you doing here?"

Severus gave him a distasteful look, confusion lurking somewhere in his expression. "Who are you?"

Draco suddenly remembered that he was too far back in the past to have Severus remember him yet, seeing as the only Draco Severus knew was about five years old as well. He pondered telling the older wizard a lie, but Severus had been a trusted friend, and still was, even though he was now a ghost in Draco's time, and Draco suddenly smiled, happy that he could have a good talk with Severus like he hadn't been able to for quite some time.

"It's me, Draco Malfoy."

A quick look of surprise was hurriedly covered up, and Severus eyed him cautiously before standing back silently to allow Draco in.

Draco waited politely.

Severus sneered, and turned around and walked into his room, talking over his shoulder. "I assume you're here for the Potter brat?"

Draco followed quietly, shutting the door behind him, and tried not to feel angry because Severus called Harry a brat. That was, undoubtedly, exactly what Harry was, so why should he be so angry?

"Yeah," Draco replied, shoving his rising away. "Where is he?"

"Currently playing with what I believe is your falcon, now that I have seen you."

Draco blinked at Severus' back. "So Elfric did find him?"

"Yes."

Harry's high pitched giggling suddenly erupted from a back room, and Draco followed the sound instinctively, letting Severus hang back because Severus plainly did not want to see the child of his Lord's downfall, as it was in these years.

Harry was sitting on the floor, brushing his hand over the ground furiously, and half toppling over when he sent his hand back too far. There was a small hunting shriek from Elfric, who was sitting on a chair, then the falcon would dive for the hand and proceed to pretend to rip it into pieces, while Harry laughed louder. Thankfully, he was wearing what appeared to be some of Severus' old robes, which were far too big.

Elfric looked up suddenly from Harry's slightly scratched hand and called a welcome. Harry looked up quickly, his face reddening with sorrow and held back tears.

Draco assumed he wasn't yet forgiven.

He was correct, as it turned out, because Harry turned away determinedly, trying to get Elfric to turn with him, but the falcon flew to the chair, landing heavily on the back, ignoring Harry in favour of Draco, who went and lightly scratched the back of the falcon's head.

Severus cleared his throat. "I am about to order some food, would you like to join me?" 

Draco shook his head regretfully. "No thanks, we have a lot to do today, and we must get going in a minute."

Draco ignored Severus as the other deatheater walked quietly away, still staring at Harry and wondering how to go about this.

He never wanted kids.

"Harry?"

"Go 'way."

"Harry, we need to go."

"Don' wanna."

"Harry," Draco imitated his father's voice, one he had never dared to disobey for fear of the punishments hinted. "We are leaving, now get up."

Harry, to his obvious surprise, suddenly found himself on his feet, and his wrist held firmly by Draco, who whistled something to Elfric, who screeched agreement and hopped onto Draco's shoulder, his dangerous talons holding on lightly so as not to draw blood.

"Thanks, Severus. Maybe we'll see you again soon!"

Severus grunted in reply, already reading a thick volume of who knew what.

Draco dragged Harry out, doing his best to ignore the silent tears running down the child's face and the valiant efforts to keep his sobs silent.

About halfway to the elevator, Draco gave up and knelt down in front of Harry, who doggedly avoided his eyes.

"Harry, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit nervous showering with anyone."

Harry forgot that he was supposed to be upset with Draco and turned back towards the blonde, curious. "Why?"

Shadows of memories filtered through Draco's brain, memories of memories he didn't want to remember, and he shook his head to chase them away. "That's something I don't want to remember," he said softly, looking down at the floor blindly.

A soft touch brought him back to the present he was in, and he looked up, startled, to find Harry staring at him. Harry's hand was resting softly against his cheek, comforting, and the green eyes were large and wise with something no child should have to know.

"Like I don't want to remember uncle Vernon?" Harry's voice was quite, understanding, and Draco had the sudden urge to hug the boy. He ignored it, of course, but he couldn't quite push away his relief that somebody actually understood. It had taken too many years to find somebody who had, and Draco had almost given up, pushing away his unwanted past like a deatheater kills off his enemies. 

Then, all too suddenly, Draco remembered whom it was he was staring at, who had his hand on Draco's cheek, and Draco flinched back, standing up so suddenly that he felt dizzy. He couldn't allow himself to sympathize with Potter, it just wouldn't do.

Harry looked slightly confused, but that understanding sympathy was lurking behind the confusion in his eyes, and Draco hardened his face, wanting to make Harry upset again because that sympathy made Draco feel too vulnerable. And that understanding made him simply feel too lonely.

"Come on then," he said harshly, and stalked off to the elevator, leaving Harry to follow on his own.

"Elfric," Draco spoke to the falcon while they waited for the elevator to arrive, "I'm going to send you to Blaise. We need to know how he is doing. I want to get out of this time, and soon."

Elfric nudged his head into Draco's neck, and Draco obligingly lifted a hand to scratch the falcon's head a little. 

Harry came up to stand next to him, and tugged on his sleeve.

Draco looked down coolly. "Yes?"

Harry remained oblivious. "Can we go to a park?"

Draco looked straight ahead again, sighing. "All right. Let's just go to our room so you can wash and change, all right?"

"Okay," Harry chirped happily, and Draco shook his head wonderingly, holding the doors of the lift open as Harry sorted out the trailing robes so he wouldn't trip.

They made it to their room safely; Draco helped Harry wash, and penned a note to Blaise while Harry changed into the preset out clothes.

And then they went looking for a park for Harry. It took a few hours, both of walking and of Draco carrying Harry, simply because none of the parks that they found were what Harry wanted, and because, surprisingly, muggles actually had some good stuff to sell. Draco had to admit that they had made their lives a lot easier, even without magic. It was almost… admirable.

Draco scowled at nothing and hastily took the word back, but some part of him agreed, because they stopped every five minutes to examine some other muggle contraption that Draco had never seen, let alone heard of. Muggles weren't clever, as such, but they were definitely bright. 

Well, most of them, anyway, Draco amended, as a muggle raced out of a store in front of them with the shopkeeper in hot pursuit.

They eventually found a playground that Harry liked, and Draco put Harry down in favor of going to sit on a swing while the child played.

It was, Draco concluded, almost relaxing. Maybe having a kid wasn't so bad.

After an hour or two, Harry tired of playing around, and Draco grew weary of pushing the swing for the kid, and so they started back again, Harry chattering happily and quite randomly about anything that came into his mind, and Draco would make replies, sometimes long and sometimes short. 

Elfric found them when they were about halfway, with a reply from Blaise. 

_Draco,_

_Have you noticed anything strange about your dark mark lately? Anyway, got some of the ingredients, need a few more. Should be ready for you to make the potion in about four or so days. Having fun with the Potter kid? Don't worry; it's almost over._

_Blaise_

The note was almost cheerful, despite the warning about the dark mark. Draco made a mental note to check it when Harry was asleep and in bed. He didn't want to do or say anything to ruin the lively mood Harry was in, not for any concern of the child, but because he didn't want to have to deal with a temper tantrum again.

They got take out on their way back, eating while they walked, feeding Elfric bits and pieces, and talking more animatedly than before. Harry was beginning to tire though, and by the time the food was finished and they were almost back, Harry was dozing, his head on Draco's shoulder as Draco carried him, having put a weightless charm on the kid first.

Draco nodded to the receptionist as they passed, a new lady with bundled up red hair, and waited for the elevator to arrive with quiet impatience. His arms were starting to get worn-out, even with the weightless charm, ad it was with grateful glee that Draco put Harry down on his bed and tucked him in, foregoing the bath for tonight.

He wasn't all that sure that Harry would go back to sleep if Draco woke him up now, and he wasn't willing to take that chance. Especially if Harry made a fuss and insisted on sleeping with Draco.

Draco shuddered at the idea, and crawled into bed. His feet were aching, and he blamed those inferior muggle shoes. Just as he felt his eyes start to close, he remembered Blaise's warning, and rolled up his sleeve to check the dark mark.

It was blood red, looking like an open wound. Draco wasn't alarmed at that, it usually happened when Voldemort was angry. What alarmed him was the fact that it didn't hurt. It wasn't hurting, which was horrendously foreboding, an ominous sign that something wasn't quite right with his own, real world.

A second later, he dismissed the theory. It probably wasn't anything serious, merely that neither he nor Blaise could feel it because of their position in time.

He yawned, and fell back against his pillow, closing his eyes appreciatively, and fell asleep.

He dreamed of swings that night. Swings and a curious child with black hair and brown eyes, telling him to be careful…


End file.
